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A new biography of Clarke, Ian James appears in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography on this site.

Donald Barry Clarke was born on 10 November 1933 at Pihama, Taranaki, and educated at Morrinsville School. He began his rugby career as a member of the Kereone Club and represented Waikato as full-back in 1951, 1952–54, and 1955–1961. Since 1956 he has represented New Zealand and toured Australia (1957 and 1962), South Africa (1960), and the British Isles (1963). He also represented New Zealand in all tests against the visiting French team (1961). In 1960 he was awarded the Sportsman of the Year Trophy. Clarke also holds the record for the highest scorer in New Zealand first-class rugby (1,754 points). He has represented New Zealand in 87 matches, in which he scored 773 points, thus beating the record previously held by W. J. Wallace. During the 1963–64 tour of the United Kingdom Clarke played in 26 games and scored 149 points. In his career he has played in 214 first-class matches, and has represented New Zealand in 30 tests in which he scored 199 points.

In March 1965, when Clarke announced his retirement, he had scored in first-class Rugby the amazing total of 1,851 points. This was made up of 22 tries, 366 conversions, 320 penalty goals, 28 dropped goals, and 3 goals from marks. He had played in 98 matches for Waikato and 89 for New Zealand.

In addition to his rugby record, Clarke has achieved some note as a cricketer, being a New Zealand trialist (1958) and having represented the Waikato, Auckland, and Northern Districts.

His elder brother, Ian James Clarke, is also a well-known rugby footballer who plays in the prop forward position. Ian Clarke has been an All Black in 1953 and 1955–63, and has represented New Zealand in 82 matches, scoring six points. In 1955 he captained the All Blacks against Australia. He is the first All Black to tour the United Kingdom twice and, towards the end of the 1963–64 tour, he was invited to play for the Barbarians. Ian Clarke holds the New Zealand record for first-class matches played – 253.

Co-creator

McLintock, Alexander Hare

How to cite this page: 'CLARKE, Donald Barry and Ian James', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966.Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New ZealandURL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/clarke-donald-barry (accessed 26 May 2019)